RuPaul gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame honoring two-time Emmy winner RuPaul was unveiled Friday.

Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda joined RuPaul in speaking at the ceremony in front of the World of Wonder production offices at 6652 Hollywood Blvd.

World of Wonder produces VH1's ``RuPaul's Drag Race,'' which brought RuPaul prime-time Emmys as outstanding host of a reality or reality-competition program in 2016 and 2017.

The star is the 2,631st since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the first 1,558 stars.

``RuPaul is a revolutionary performer who brought the art of drag into the American public eye and made it mainstream,'' said Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Born RuPaul Andre Charles on Nov. 17, 1960 in San Diego, he later studied theater at the North Atlanta School of Performing Arts.

RuPaul settled in New York City in the mid-1980s, becoming a popular fixture on the nightclub scene earning himself the title ``Queen of Manhattan.''

RuPaul's first prominent national exposure came in 1989 with a featured role dancing in the B-52's ``Love Shack'' music video.

RuPaul released his first album, ``Supermodel of the World'' in 1993. It would top Billboard's Heatseekers chart for new and developing recording artists. He has released 10 more studio albums, two soundtrack albums, six compilation albums, three remix albums, one extended play and 32 singles.

RuPaul has produced and hosted the competition series ``RuPaul's Drag Race,'' since 2009. He also hosted ``RuPaul's Drag U,'' where women are given drag makeovers and ``Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul,'' both on Logo.

RuPaul has also been a judge on the Game Show Network's body-painting competition, ``Skin Wars.''

RuPaul has appeared in more than 50 films and television shows both in and out of drag including ``Crooklyn,'' ``The Brady Bunch Movie,'' ``To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar,'' and ``But I'm a Cheerleader.''